Bed-bottom



(No Model. I

W. BARTRAM.

BED BOTTOM.

No. 251,158. Patented Dec. 20,1881.

WITNEEEEE INVELN'IUR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WHEELER BARTRAM, OF MADISON, OHIO.

BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LetterS Patent No. 251,158, dated December20, 1881. Application filed August 19, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom "it may concern Be it known that I, WHEELER BARTRAM, ofMadison, in the county of Lake and State of Ohio, have invented a newand Improved Bed-Bottom, of which the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved bedbottom when put together; Fig.2,a plan view of one of the spring-straps to which the spiral portion ofthe spring is attached at the ends of the bed-bottom and by which it isattached to the frame by means of pins. Fig. 3 is one of the pins onwhich the spring-straps are hooked by means of the slot shown in Fig. 2;and Fig.4 is a plan view of a section of one of the flexible metallicsupports which run I crosswise of the bed-bottom,showing the manner inwhich the spiral parts are fastened.

a a is a flexible metallic support, which runs crosswise of thebed-bottom, and to which the spiral parts of the spring are attached, asshown in Fig. 4.

It is obvious that if the bed-bottom were constructed of a series ofcontinuous spiral wires running the whole length of the bed each spiralwire would sag very much when brought into actual use, and would alsotend to spread laterally. In my improved bed-bot= tom the spiral wiresare not whole or continuous the entire length of the bottom, but aresectional. The portion attached to the springstrap 1) at one end (f theframe ends with and is fastened to the flexible metallic support a,which runs crosswise of the bottom. By this means the bed-bottom isdivided into sections, according to the number of flexible metallicsupports used, which may be one or more, according to the size of thebed. By this means the sagging and spreading of the spiral wires areprevented. The flexible metallic supp rt a is made of thin band-iron,steel, or other metal, and, being flexible, accommodates itself with thespiral wires to the superimposed weight.

The straps b at the end of the bottom give a spring support to the wholebottom,and have a tendency to take up any slack that may occur in thespiral wires. These straps are provided with slots d d, by means ofwhich the entire bottom may be tightened, if necessary, by simplydrawing the straps I) up until they hook onto the pins 0.

The spiral portion of the springs is made of steel wire, as are also thestraps. Asthe strain upon each separate spiral wire is communicated tothe supports, and by them in turn to all the rest of the series, theresult is that the spiral wire, supports, and straps act together,strengthening and sustaining one another, forminga bed-bottom in wholeand in all parts firmly elastic.

The bed-bottom may be attached to the frame of the bedstead, or it maybe attached toa separate frame and adju ted to a bedstead.

The distinguishing advantages of my improved bed-bottom are, first, itsperfect flexibility and adjustability; second, great strengt h andelasticity; third, simplicityand lightne s; fourth, non-liability tobecome infested with vermin.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The combination, in a bed-bottom, of a series ofmetallic springstraps provided with slots for adjusting the same to theframe or bedstead, with a series of spiral springs attached to theflexible metallic supports running crosswise of the same, constructedand united substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a bed-bottom, the combination, with spiral springs extending fromend to enl of the frame, of the transverse flexible metallic support aand slotted metallic spring-straps 1), adj ustably attached to the frameby means of pins 0, substantially as and for the purpose shown anddescribed.

WHEELER BARTRA M.

In presence of W. W. BRANCH, J r., O. O. BRANCH.

